ROUTE 2015

BERGAMO: START CITY

It is also known as the city of the “Thousand”, for the many volunteer soldiers that committed to the cause of Italian Unification, led by Garibaldi. It is divided into Bergamo Alta (the upper town), namely the historical district, and Bergamo Bassa (the lower town). The upper town (Città Alta) is one of the few towns in Italy whose centre is still entirely surrounded by walls. Piazza Vecchia is the heart of the city; main sights include the Contarini fountain, Palazzo della Ragione and the civic tower (Torre Civica). Major landmarks also include the Colleoni Chapel, one of the many monuments in Bergamo dedicated to Bartolomeo Colleoni, a famous warlord who was born in Solza, on the bank of the Adda River. By the end of his career, he had become captain-general of the Army of Venice.
This was a land of warlords and a land of Popes too, with John XXIII, known as "the Good Pope", who was born in Sotto il Monte, nearby. A number of characters of Italian Comedy are "native" to this area, too, the most famous of which being Arlecchino (Harlequin) and Gioppino.
Bergamo was hometown to many football stars (both the former coach of the Italian national team Donadoni and Giacinto Facchetti were born here) and cycling champions such as Felice Gimondi – Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España winner – and Paolo Savoldelli, an unstoppable downhill racer, dubbed the “hawk from Bergamo” (who was born in Clusone, nearby). Ivan Gotti and Beppe "Turbo" Guerini, both of whom scored major achievements in top races, were native to the area, too. .

COMO: ARRIVAL CITY

"That branch of the lake of Como, which extends towards the south…" This is the opening line of one of the world’s best-known Italian novels, written by Alessandro Manzoni, describing the territory of which Como is the capital. Nowadays a major tourist destination, also for Hollywood celebrities such as George Clooney, the city and its surroundings are a major pole in the Italian silk manufacturing chain.

Historically, it was the third city in Italy receiving a medal of honour for its contribution to Italian Unification, with reference to the battle of San Fermo in which Garibaldi led the Hunter of the Alps (Cacciatori delle Alpi) corps to defeat the Austrian forces, thus defending the city of Como.
The city centre overlooks the lake of the same name. Rising in the historical district is the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, the city’s Duomo, one of the major cathedrals in Italy. Its dome was designed by Sicilian architect Filippo Juvarra. Every day, a cannon shot is fired at 12:00, marking noon for all the citizens. The shot can be heard throughout the city centre and the urban area. Main events include the traditional Sant’Abbondio festival, dedicated to the patron saint and celebrated every year on August 31, as well as the evocative Sagra di San Giovanni Battista; the latter is a historical re-enactment of the Mediaeval wars that were fought on Lake Como, which features a magnificent fireworks display and a lake cruise that sets sail in Como and takes passengers on a journey with live music and dancing.

Como has hosted six Giro d’Italia stage finishes, and it was finish city in the "Il Lombardia" classic several times.

ALONG THE ROAD

MADONNA DEL GHISALLO KM 181. The Ghisallo climb is a historical passage of Il Lombardia, and it is often decisive for winning this autumn classic. It will be part of the route in 2015, too, and it was also featured in several Giro d’Italia stages. On top of the climb stands the sanctuary of Madonna del Ghisallo, a "pilgrimage destination" for a number of cyclists and enthusiasts. The Ghisallo Sanctuary is also home to a cycling museum, featuring a wide range of valuable relics donated by cycling champions, including a number of yellow, pink and rainbow jerseys, as well as Moser’s hour-record bicycle.
A statue dedicated to two icons of Italian cycling, Coppi and Bartali, stands in the Sanctuary square, and it is often used as photography "backdrop" by cyclists and amateurs who reach the Ghisallo summit.

BELLAGIO
KM 172. The town lies in one of the most picturesque locations on Lake Como, right on the famous southern branch, and offers a stunning natural landscape owing to its position. It has a thousand-year-old history: in ancient times, it was a stronghold of the Roman Empire; later, it became part of the Duchy of Ludovico il Moro, which was assigned to the Marquis of Stanga. It is renowned for its many manor houses overlooking the lake, and surrounded by centuries-old parks and gardens, including Villa Melzi and Villa Serbelloni, which are open to the public.
Thanks to its unique views and landscapes, the town has often served as film set: it was the setting for scenes in Rocco and his brothers, while the American movie Frankenstein Unbound was shot at Villa Melzi. It was also quoted in another movie, Ocean’s Eleven, in which George Clooney and Brad Pitt, partners-in-crime, resolve to rob the famous Bellagio hotel and casino in Las Vegas that was built drawing inspiration from this charming Italian town.

MURO DI SORMANO
km 194. A well-known climb for cycling enthusiasts, it was first featured in the Il Lombardia route in 1960, and turned out to be way more selective than expected. After the road tarmac surface was restored, the "wall" became less severe. Nonetheless, it is an icon for cycling enthusiasts, and, since vehicular traffic is prohibited, it can be considered as "the world’s toughest cycle path". Each metre is numbered, and elevation is marked. The road climbs steeply through the woods, with just four hairpins. The current record climbing time is 9’02", achieved by Joaquim Rodriguez.

OFFICIAL GUIDE 2015
The race brochure

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